It was a good thing that the old man's nerve-wracking scrutiny didn't last long. René Alejandro released the breath that he had been holding. Lu Jianhong grinned at him and then suddenly began smacking him on the back. He was shocked by the force at first, especially since he wasn't expecting it at all. Such an old man and still so strong, Lu Jianhong was quite impressive for his advanced age.
"Welcome, kid! Are Liwei my boy and Xiulan my girl hosting you well tonight? Tell me, I want to know!"
René Alejandro smiled at him while allowing himself to be smacked. "Thank you, Sir Lu. Yes, please do not worry. They are wonderful hosts, as I'm sure everyone here will attest, no? All of you are so kind that I feel like I'm having Christmas with my own family."
"Good! Very good!"
The old man narrowed his eyes at René Alejandro who continued smiling at him like there was nothing wrong. Mischief flashed in the old man's eyes. Then the smacks became louder and heavier, making the surrounding people wince.
"Sir Lu must tell me about your secrets in maintaining your youth, yes? You are as strong as a bull. I want to be like you when I reach your age. And hopefully, I reach that age."
"Bahahahahaha! Not bad. Not bad at all! Bahahahaha!"
The old man gave him a final smack on the back. It was the hardest and heaviest. The sound was so loud that some thought René Alejandro should have flown across the room and crashed against the wall. When he didn't and maintained an amiable smile on his face, even managing to look relaxed, they were quite surprised.
All of the men who received the old man's smacks looked like they were going to vomit their internal organs, including Jin Liwei. Only one had ever been able to take the smacks without any change in expression—Lu Zihao.
And now, another one appeared.
For René Alejandro, the smacks were really nothing. Yes, he could feel the impact but his sturdy body hardened through training and experience since childhood didn't allow him to register pain in the same way as normal people did. Compared to the countless life and death experiences he went through in life, the old man's smacks were almost ticklish for someone like him.
"You have quite a solid body," Lu Jianhong commented. "Like my grandson! Haohao, come here and meet this sturdy, Spanish kid!"
René Alejandro glanced behind the old man and saw a big, muscled man. His breath caught in his throat as Lu Zihao's dark eyes bored down on him like a charging bulldozer. The man was huge. René Alejandro was already tall but Lu Zihao towered over him not only in height but also in build. Those muscles were simply incredible. They were definitely bigger and bulkier than average Olympic-level athletes but sleeker and more natural than hardcore bodybuilders.
These thoughts weren't at the forefront of René Alejandro's mind, however, because he was too busy dealing with the man's domineering aura. His pupils contracted.
For some reason, an image of a vengeful, dark and evil emperor appeared in his mind and looked like it was going to swallow his consciousness. The image sent a chill up his spine which stunned him.
'This!'
His mask almost cracked before the old man smacked his grandson's back next. The sounds alone indicated that the smacks he was giving Lu Zihao were the hardest and heaviest out of all the smacks he gave the others including René Alejandro.
"Why are you scaring your third brother and little sister's foreign guest, huh? Tell me, I want to know!"
Lu Zihao retracted his aura, an apathetic expression on his face. His arm, however, pulled a petite woman closer to his side. Long Jinjing stared at René Alejandro with wide eyes.
René Alejandro recovered quickly after Lu Zihao's invisible assault on his mentality. Cold sweat beaded on his skin but he didn't show any of his inner disturbance on the outside. He pretended to be surprised when facing Long Jinjing.
"Miss, it's you. A pleasure to see you again." He glanced at Lu Zihao's belt. "I see that your boyfriend is wearing your gift."
"What is this?" Lu Jianhong demanded, looking at the three—René Alejandro, Long Jinjing and Lu Zihao. "Jinjing my girl, you've met this Spanish kid before? Tell Grandpa, I want to know!"
Lu Zihao's apathetic expression darkened into a dangerous level. He brought Long Jinjing behind him and looked ready to choke René Alejandro with his eyes alone.
René Alejandro's competitive spirit flared up. He didn't want to lose against the man despite his cowardly reactions earlier. He was just caught unawares before, that was all. He, René Alejandro, was one of the most important, young team leaders in the organization.
Someone like Lu Zihao couldn't possibly match up against him. The man only looked big and scary but René Alejandro was confident that he could take Lu Zihao and win any time.
"Oy oy oy!" The old man stepped between the two men. "What are you two dunderheads doing?! See how this old man will bang your two heads against each other!"
"Zihao, please." Long Jinjing tried to pull Lu Zihao back.
Wei Lan also stepped in front of René Alejandro in a protective manner even though it was clear that she herself was intimidated by the scary Lu Zihao.
"Enough," a cold voice interrupted everyone.
It wasn't loud but it was firm and full of authority. Jin Liwei swept his displeased eyes on the two men, unimpressed by their actions inside his home in the middle of the Christmas gathering that he and his wife were currently hosting.
Lu Zihao snorted before breaking eye contact with the Spaniard. René Alejandro also regained his usual amiable expression. He sent an apologetic look to everyone, especially to Jin Liwei and the old man.
"Big Sister, you've met René Alejandro before?" Iris repeated Grandpa Lu's earlier question.
"Y-yes," Long Jinjing admitted.
"They only met at a store when Jinjing was buying something for me," Lu Zihao said. "That's all."
"I helped Miss Long choose the belt she gave you," René Alejandro said before he could stop himself.
Two invisible powerful forces once again clashed against each other.. One dark, the other grey.
